Timothy J. Pruitt's Blog, page 388

Eddington A Caffeine Fortress

It was good to be back in Stefaniak’s, a little normalcy with all the craziness lately. Time had seemed to speed along lately, and we found ourselves in December. It was the Christmas party for the employees.

The lights bounced and played against the windows, as the music played. A good Christmas cup, a muffin, and conversation. I felt almost comfortable, except for glancing outside every five minutes.

Otecko was entertaining everyone with stories. Joe was there, and my security guys. It was a caffeine fortress, no one was charging the door, so to speak.

I should have expected a more delicate touch, but I didn’t, until the phone call. “Hello, I think you’ll find the news interesting tonight.” That was the only thing he said, on the phone. He must have been tired after all of the talking he had done this afternoon.  

“My country is reclaiming its national treasures. It has come to my attention that some very important artifacts were taken from our country years ago. I intend to pursue every legal channel available to get them back.”

That was his next move. I took Otecko aside and told him. “What he could not grab, he would wrestle away. Tomás, this man is clever, but he’s also brash. That will work in our favor.”

Otecko went back to the party as if nothing had happened. It ended for me with the phone call. I didn’t leave, but my mind did. Primarily on how to stop the bad guy without looking like a villain ourselves.

iPainting English Winter

We hope you enjoy this Christmas iPainting, “English Winter”.

iPainting Christmas Snow

This Sunday afternoon art post is called “Christmas Snow”. We hope you enjoy it.

A Christmas Poem To Appreciate The Light

To appreciate The Light

It must be reflected

How dark the night

Even to the expected

The star not a whisper

Yet a shout of joy

To a world of sin and blister

God Eternal a baby boy

To save, heal, and reveal

Vanquishing death

Relationship His will

Recreating our existence

Our troubled hearts to still

God and man no longer distant

Eddington Coffee From A Strange Pot

It was almost aggravating, the way that Otecko seemed to know things before you told him. “How did you know he would be part of the government?” He was never arrogant about it, he just knew.

“Simple, most of the people who have troubled our country, started out that way. It is like President Reagan said, they were from the government, and they claimed they were going to help us. What is reassuring to me is that we don not have to travel half a world away to face him.”

Otecko hated to travel, it messed up his routine. Just the hiding place we had talked him into staying for a few days was irritating him. He hates ‘sleeping in other beds, making coffee from a strange pot, and brushing his teeth in front of a strange mirror.’

That was an exact quote by the way. Him reluctantly agreeing to do it, indicated how important catching this man was. He still had a surprise in store though, one I hadn’t seen coming, and he knew it.

“While here, I visited an old friend from home. She hasn’t lived overseas in years, but her niece happens to be in the government. I believe I know enough about the Ambassador now to return home.”

“Otecko, it’s not safe, you need to …” “Thomàs, I Love You, but at my age, what is safety? Especially if this man is as clever as he is dangerous. Staying out of the battle, that is dangerous.” 

He returned like a general planning a large campaign, giving detailed orders to each of us. Stef’s job was to design a very special coffee bag, as a gift for the Ambassador. My job, as a semi famous businessman was to deliver it. 

We poured our best Guatemalan blend in it the day the bag came from the printers. It was great coffee, but the bag was the real message. On it were elegant scenes reflecting Czech and Slovakian heritage, but the real message was the words underneath Stefaniak’s logo.

“A gift for the ambassador. A bold, challenging blend, to embrace and hold you tightly.” It didn’t sound bad to anyone else, but to him, it was a direct threat. We were taking the battle to him, and Otecko wanted him to know it! 

iPainting Christmas Barn

We hope you enjoy our “Christmas Barn”.

iPainting Claus And Friends

 We hope you enjoy this Christmas iPainting, “Claus And Friends”.

Watercolor Roper

A watercolor quick sketch, called Roper.

iPainting City Home

There is a lot of modern construction in Nashville. This is a iPainting, in a watercolor sketch style, modeled after a set of new apartments across from our church, Point Of Mercy in Nashville.

Watercolor General Schwarzkopf

A quick watercolor sketch of General Schwarzkopf.